


Ill.

by Hecate_Trivia



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Caring Arthur, M/M, Soft Arthur
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-09
Updated: 2019-11-09
Packaged: 2021-01-26 10:03:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,462
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21372346
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hecate_Trivia/pseuds/Hecate_Trivia
Summary: Merlin is ill and the knights want him to have a day off. Arthur of course, figures their plan out.
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 22
Kudos: 543





	Ill.

**Author's Note:**

> Hi y'all! Hope everyone is doing ok and has their head above water xx. Please enjoy! :)

Gwaine, per usual had started his day off with a trip down to Gaius’s chambers for the miracle of the hangover tonic- it honestly saved his time and head. Some would say that he should just keep a batch in his rooms bu then, how else would he see his dear friend Merlin, every morning? 

When he entered the room, he knew something was off. Instead of seeing Merlin hastily eating his breakfast, clothes simply thrown on and pillow marks still on cheek, he was met with the sight of Gaius slowly eating his breakfast, no Merlin in sight. 

“Gaius, where’s Merlin?” He asked, knitting his eyebrows. Gaius nodded to Merlin’s rooms. 

“He’s ill, Gwaine. He simply needs some rest and he should be up in no time,” explained Gaius. Gwaine looked up to Merlin’s room in worry- in all the years that he’d known Merlin, he had never gotten sick. 

“Can I go and see him?” Gwaine asked already moving to the man’s room. Gaius just nodded, knowing that Gwaine would go in anyway.

“Merlin?” Gwaine did a whispering voice but even Gaius could hear him.

“Tell Arthur I’ll be right there,” a croaky voice spoke out that almost didn’t belong to Merlin. Gwaine couldn’t stop the snort. Merlin was lying curled up in his small cot, under three layers of blankets, pale and sweating with curls stuck to his forehead. Only his cheeks and ears held any colour, which were bright red. 

“You young man, are not leaving this room until Gaius says you can. I’ll take care of Arthur. You just rest,” Gwaine took on a grandpa tone, patted his shoulder and backed out of the room. Merlin just huffed and mumbled something out that Gwaine didn’t quite catch, though it did sound on the lines of 'git' and 'prat' 

“Gaius let us know if you need any help, alright? I’ll hop in later,” Gwaine smiled and quickly left to meet some of the knights.

*** *** *** 

“Listen men, we have a quest,” Gwaine started dramatically, earning some eye rolls from the knights around him,” to help Merlin.” Gwaine enjoyed how four eyes zoomed in on him at hearing Merlin’s name. 

“What’s wrong with Merlin?” Lancelot asked first. Everyone looked slightly worried.

“He’s sick- Gaius said he just needs some rest. So the quest is to let Arthur have him the day off-”

“A true quest indeed,” muttered darkly Elyan, making the men chuckle. 

“I think we should just tell Arthur that Merlin is ill,” suggested Leon, though weakly. Gwaine just shook his head. He had only ever seen Merlin in the tavern to pick him up. 

“He’ll just think Merlin had been in the tavern, for whatever reason,” Gwaine almost rolled his eyes at that.

“So, how are we going to stave Arthur off?” Asked Percival. 

“Well, I think we’ll have to take over Merlin’s duties, just so that Arthur just won’t be seeing Merlin but it’ll look like he’s been doing his chores,” said Gwaine. 

“When do you think of all this stuff?” Asked Elyan. Gwaine just gave him a smug look.

*** *** *** 

“Gwaine, have you seen Merlin?” Arthur approached the man, brows furrowed.

“Merlin? Ah Merlin,” Gwaine looked around as if looking for Merlin,” no but I can pass on a message?” Arthur narrowed his eyes, suspicious but then his face cleared. 

“If you see him, tell him to polish my shoes, polish my armour, clean my chambers do my laundry- and make sure he’ll do that before lunch, I’ll need him then.”

Gwaine muttered a curse at Arthur’s turning back and he too left to do his new ‘duties’. Did Merlin really have to do so much? And what Arthur had implied that wasn’t all. Gwaine shook his head in dismay and went to get Arthur shoes- at least he had done that before. 

*** *** *** 

“Sir Percival, have you seen my useless manservant. I haven’t seen him since yesterday,” Arthur stopped Percival who was just passing him in the hallway. Percival’s brows drew together.

“I saw him polishing your shoes? But th at was a while ago- does he need to know something?”

“Actually yes, to bring me lunch and actually show his face,” only a sliver of anger Percival heard in his tone. The knight nodded in understanding and with a bow of his head he left. He secretly smiled at getting such a light load of chores- Gwaine had it off much worse. 

*** *** *** 

“Sire you look troubled. Is everything alright?” Leon said, approaching Arthur after the council meeting. Arthur looked up from the papers he was reading to look Leon.

“Ah Leon, you haven’t seen Merlin have you? He needs to muck out the stables and bring me dinner and yet I haven’t even heard him today,” Arthur said off handedly. Leon wanted to cry- why the stables of all things? 

“If I see him, I will surely pass it on,”Leon didn’t let his disappointment pass through his lips. Arthur nodded his thank you and dismissed his knight. 

*** *** *** 

“Lancelot, Elyan, have you seen Merlin?” Arthur stopped the two men, as they were leaving the castle. The men shared a quick look and Lancelot spoke first.

“I believe we just saw him leave the castle- a herb basket in his hand, sire.”

“Ah, I see,” Arthur nodded, and just sighed,” if you see him send him straight to me, understood?”

“Yes sire,” both Lancelot and Elyan spoke in usion. Arthur nodded and let them go. 

*** *** *** 

“Come on, Merlin, stop being a stubborn prat and just eat the damn soup,” came Arthur’s voice from Merlin’s room. The men all shared looks but, as if by magic, all stayed to listen on.

“That’s my word,” rasped out Merlin.

“Yes and that’s why it suits you perfectly,” the five knights hid smiles behind their hands or ducked their heads. “You need to eat something, you need to get better.”

“To polish your boots?” Gwaine could swear he could hear the eyebrow that Merlin was definitely lifting. 

“You know why,” Arthur said softly, softer than any of the knights had ever heard him speak. There was an underlying meaning in his words. Once again, the men shared looks.

“I do,” Merlin spoke with a similar tone of that of Arthurs,” now give me that soup, I’m starving.”

“You know the knights had taken over your duties?” Arthur spoke casually. 

“What?!”

“Don’t strain your voice,” chastised him Arthur,” but yeah. I think they didn’t want me to know that you were ill. They thought they were being too. Imagine my surprise when I saw Leon mucking out the stables.” They heard a raspy sound which meant that Merlin was laughing. They couldn’t see it but Arthur was secretly smiling at making the man laugh.

“Arthur! I don’t even muck out the stables anymore!” Merlin laughed again.

“I know, I know- couldn’t help myself,” admitted Arthur. 

"Prat," the Knights heard how the word dripped with fondness.

“Your prat,” the soft tone was back,” I hate seeing you like this.” 

“I hate feeling like this. I haven’t been ill in years.” 

“You’ve been working yourself too hard. I’ll get you warmer clothes too- god knows these ones barely hold the heat your skinny self have-”

“Oi, I’m not that ,” the knights smiled at hearing the defense in Merlin’s voice.

“Yes you are,” counterbacked Arthur,” I can count your ribs and I swear I get bruises from where you elbow me at night.” 

“You’re just sensitive!” 

If not for the fact that they were already silence, they surely would’ve been brought to it by what Arthur had just implied. Merlin and Arthur, sleeping together? 

Lancelot tapped all of them and motioned for them to leave. He wanted to give the bickering pair some privacy. 

*** *** *** 

“Did anyone know?” Asked Gwaine, once they had all left the physicians chambers. All but one man had shook their heads. Percival slowly nodded. All they eyes flashed to him.

“Percy, why didn’t ya say?” Percival shook his head. 

“It wasn’t my secret to tell,” he said simply. The others nodded in understanding. 

“How did you know?” Asked Lancelot.

“Well,” Percival spoke hesitantly,” they just seemed so close- from the beginning. You know, always having one another's back. Whenever a battle finishes, they always head to one another first. Also the fact that I once saw them kissing once.” 

“Oooo, where they naked?” Of course only Gwaine would ask a question like that. Elyan hit him round the head. The mans hands shot up to right his hair. They all chuckled. 

“Shall we tell them? That we know that is,” asked Elyan. Leon answered him.

“I believe that they will tell us once they are ready.” Once again, they all agreed. 

When the right time came, all secrets shall be revealed.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Please leave some constructive criticism and a kudo if you enjoyed xx. Hugs and kisses, Hecate_Trivia xxx.


End file.
